Printing-press.



T. A. NBEDHAM.

PRINTING PRESS. APPLIOATION rmsn ma. 14, 1901.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PRINTING-PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1907.

Application filed February 14,1907. Serial No. 357,252.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. NEEDHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Everett, in the county of Middiesex, State of Massachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Printing- Presses,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

The invention comprises improvements in flat-bed Web printing presses.

It relates, more particularly, to the type-head and the operating meanstherefor of a press of the said class, and to the inking devices and themeans of operating the form-rollers.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing, which latter representscertain parts of a printing press of the class aforesaid, with theinvention embodied therein, only such parts being shown as are necessaryto make clear the relations and nature of the invention. The said partsare shown in end elevation.

Having reference to the drawings,-at 1 is shown a bed forming a part ofthe main framework of the printing press, and at 2, 2, are supportinglegs on which the said bed is mounted. At 3 is a platen supported inhorizontal position on the said bed.

At l is a shaftmounted in bearings which are provided in brackets 5, 5,extending transversely from the bed 1 at one side of the path ofmovement of the web A. This shaft is provided in practice with drivingdevices (not necessary to be shown) by means of which to rotate thesame, and is connected operatively with the type-head 6 and the supportfor the form-rollers, and from the same motion is transmitted to thesaid type-head and the said support, as presently will be explained. Thetype-head is hung upon pivots, one of which is shown at 7, and inoperation swings or vibrates vertically upon such pivots, substantiallyas in presses of the same class heretofore employed, but with thisdifference, namely, that heretofore the pivots for a swinging type-headon the order of that shown in the drawings have been arranged atopposite sides of the path of the web and the type-head has swung in aplane extending lengthwise of the web, whereas in a press embodying mypresent invention the pivots are located at one side of the path of theweb, and the type-head swings transversely across the web. The devicesby which the type-head is operatively combined with the shaft t, andthrough which the required motion is trans mitted from the said shaft tothe type-head, comprise in the present instance an eccentric 8 which isfast upon the said shaft, a strap and connecting-rod 9 applied to thesaid eccentric, a rocker or walking-beam 10 having the saidconnecting-rod pivotally joined to one arm thereof at 11 at one side ofthe pivot 12 of the said rocker or walking-beam and having pivotallyjoined to its opposite arm at the opposite side of the said pivot 12, asat 13, the upper end of a link 14, the lower end of which is connectedby a pivot.15 with an ear 16 forming a part of the type-head. Inpractice one or more links 14 and rockers or walking-beams 1O will'beemployed, the number of links and rockers or walkingbeams varying withthe views oi builders and users or the press, and with the size of thelatter. Preferably, the motiontransrnitting connections will engage withthe type-head at or adjacent the opposite sides of the latter, and inthe case of a wide type-head at the middle of the width of the type-headalso. In such instances a plurality of links usually will be employed,and a corresponding plurality of rockers or walking-beams. As this,however, involves mere duplication in. the case of certain of themotion-transmitting parts, illustration of such duplication isunnecessary. In operation, as the shaft A rotates, the type-head iscaused to swing vertically, as previously stated.

At 17, 17, 17 are shown the form-rollers, and at 18 one of the carriagestherefor. The form-roller carriages are carried by a support 19 in theform of a frame which occupies a substantially horizontal position andis hung by means of a shaft or rod 20 to the top of a substantiallyupright frame 21 swinging at the bottom thereof upon pivots 22 inconnection with the lower parts of the supporting legs 2. For thepurpose of communicating to the support 19 for the form-rollers therequired movements at the proper times in the working of the mechanism,the upright swinging frame 21 is combined operatively with the shaft 4by connections comprising in this instance the link 23 having one endthereof joined to the said frame 21 by a pivot 24 and the other endthereof joined by a pivot 25 to the downwardlyprojecting arm 26 of anelbow-lever or rocker which is pivotally mounted at 27 in connectionwith one or more of the supporting legs 2, 2, at the driving side of thepress, the said elbow 01' rocker having a substantially horizontal arm,28, to which is connected pivotally at 29 the lower end of a link 30having its upper end joined pivotally to the combined strap andconnecting rod 9. Through these connections the upright frame 21 isswung so as to move the support 19 and form-roller carriages 18 and theform-rollers 17, 17, 17, with the proper timing to cause the latterparts to enter between the platen and the type-head as the type-headseparates or moves away from the platen, and to cause them to withdrawfrom between the platen and type-head before the latter closes againstthe former.

For the purpose of causing the form-rollers to make contact with thefacesof the type and to roll along the same as support 19 moves in andout again between the separated type-head and platen, the support 19 isacted upon by force yieldingly applied and operating to press suchsupport and the form-roller carriages and formrollers supported therebyvertically toward the typehead. This force in the present instance isapplied by means of one or more coil-springs 31 surrounding the shaft orrod 20 and having one end thereof engaged with the support 19 and theother end with the upright frame 21, as indicated in the drawings, thespring shown in the latter operating through its tendency to uncoil topress the support 19 upward. Thereby the form-rollers are caused to makecontact with the faces of the type, and to roll in contact with suchfaces as they travel in and out. This mode and means of supporting theformrollers and causing them to make contact with the faces of the typeobviates all necessity for the employment of guides, tracks, orcheek-pieces for the mounting and guidance of the form-rollers. Guidesor tracks in fixed connection with the type-head cannot be employed in aswinging type-head working crosswise with respect to the path of theweb, as in the illustrated press, because they would encounter the webin the closing movement of the type-head, and either disturb theregister of the web, or break or tear the web.

For the purpose of supplying the necessary ink to the form-rollers, Imount suitable ink-supplying, etc., devices upon the'type-head. Thus, at32, is shown a distributing roll which is journaled in suitable bearingsat the free end of the type-head. In connection with this distributingroll I contemplate employing in practice a convenient ink-fountain as321, and means for transferring the ink from the latter to thedistributing I roll and spreading it uniformly upon the said roll, suchmeans being indicated by the ink-fountain roll 322, the intermediateroll323, and the vibrators 32 1,324 These last devices, however, are not inthemselves of the gist of the invention. In the retracted position ofthe formrollers, they rest in contact with the under part of theperiphery of the distributing roll, and in the movement of the type-headtoward the platen are pressed down by the descent of the distributingroll, but as the type-head moves upward the form-rollers are caused bythe action of the spring or springs 31 to rise again so as to accompanythe distributing roll in its ascent and they continue in contacttherewith until in the working of the mechanism they are caused to moveover the faces of the type once more. i

A characteristic leature oi' the means for operating the form-rollers isthe fact that the actuating connections for the support therei or extendfrom the actuating shaft which is located at one side of the path of theweb around the platen to the other side of the said path, and at suchlatter side make connection with the said support. It will be obviousthat in manner substantially similar to that herein illustrated the saidconnections may be arranged to extend around the type-head instead. Iregard the latter arrangement an equivalent, broadly considered, of thatillustrated and described herein.

It Will be understood that in some constructions a crank will be theequivalent of the eccentric herein shown and described.

What is claimed as the invention is z 1. In a printing-press, thecombination with the platen, and the type-head movable toward and fromthe said platen, of the form-rollers, a roll-carrier, a swinging snpportfor the rolhcarrier, a moving carrier mounted independently of the typehead and on which the said swing ing support is pivoially mounted. andmenus actuate the said carrier.

2. The combination, in :1 printing press with the platen, and [hetype-head movable towurd 11nd from the platen. of the fornrrollers. 1111actuating shaft :11 one side ol' the path of the web an eccentricthereon. and operating eonneclions extending from the suid eccentricaround the platen to the other side of [he said puth and serving toactuate the tornrrollcrs to distribute the ink upon llle faces of ihetype.

5;. In a printing-press. the combination with the plulen. and :1 t\'pehe11d swinging transversely with respect to the path of the webabout pivolnl centers located :11 one side of the said path. ofoperuiing' means for the said type hcad comprising :1 rotating shaft..-1 rocker or walk ingbe:1n1. and operating connections belwecn saidshall and the outer arm ol' the s.-1id rockcr or walking 11-11111 andbetween the inner arm of the latter and the 1 vpe l1e:1d.

4. In :1 printing p1css. the combination with the platen. and a swingingtype-head, ol' :1 rotating eccentric. :1 strap and eccentric-rod. :1rocker or w:1lkingbc:1n1 with one arm of which said ecceniriorod isopcrulivcly combined. 11nd :1 link through which motion is transmittedfrom the other arm of the rocker or walking-beam lo rho swingingtype-head.

5. In a printing-press, the combination with the platen. and theswinging type-head, and the 1'oi'1]l-l'ollcl's. ol :1 shaft at one sideoi, the path of the web. operuling co1|- ncctions extending around theplaten to the other side and serving to actuate the form-rollers todistribute the ink upon the faces oi the lype, :1 rocker orwulking-benin. and operating connections between the latter and theswinging typcheud.

ti. I11 :1. printing-press, the combination with the platen. :1 swingingtypeheud, and the form-rollers. of :1 rotating eccentric, :1 strap andeccentric-rod. :1 rocker or walking beam with which said eccentric-rodis operalively t'liill' bined, operating connections between the rockeror walk ing-beum and the swinging type-head. and operating 'ol1-hections extending around the platen from the said strap andeccentric-rod and serving to actuate the forn rollers to distribute theink upon the faces of the type.

T. ln :1 printing-press. the combination with lhe plulen. 21ndtype'heud. oi the 1'o1n1-rollers. :1 roll-carrier. :1 swing ing supportfor the rollcurricr. :1 swinging carrier in which the said support ishinged, means for moving the said swinging carrier to cause thei'ornrrollers lo travel across the face of the type. and means actingupon the said support to press the tormrollers toward the face of thetype.

S. In a priniing press. the combination with the platen. and type-head.of [he i'or|n rollcrs :1 roll -.-1rrier, :1 swing ing' support for theroll-c11rrier. :1 swi 11g carrier to which the said support is hinged.:1 spimg :u'iillg upon said swinging support to press the l'orn rollerslowurd the face 01' the type, 11nd means for moving the said swingingcarrier to cause the l'ornprollers to travel the face of the type.

Si. In a printing-press. the combination with the platen. and atype-head movable toward and from [he said platen. of an ink-fountainand :1 distributing roll carried by the said type-hcad, theform-rollers. :1 roll'curricr. :1 swinging support for the rolhcurrier.:1 currier in which the, sun] support is hingcd, means acting" upon thesuid swingihg support with yielding force to press the form-rollerslowurd the face of the type, and actuating means for moving the saidcarrier to cause the l'orm-rollcrs to travel across the face of thetype.

In testimony whercol l of two witnesses.

:iliix my signature in presence

